Cemeteries Master Plan 2013

The Plan is not a statutory plan (as required by or prepared under legislation, such as the Reserves Act 1977) or a legal document committing the Council or any other organisation to any proposed action.

Plan status

This Cemeteries Master Plan 2013 (the Plan) has been prepared by the Christchurch City Council (the Council) with input on the Māori content from Ngāi Tahu, through Te Rūnanga o Koukourārata, Ngāi Tūāhuriri, Te Taumutu Rūnanga, Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke (Rāpaki Rūnanga), Ōnuku Rūnanga and Wairewa Rūnanga.

The Council’s approval of the Plan will acknowledge the opportunities and consideration given to the proposed actions for implementation.

This Plan does not include a complete or scientific account of the values or issues associated with the cemeteries, but provides a summation and assessment of concerns raised and proposes solutions or investigations into the issues raised.

The Plan is only applicable to cemeteries across the Christchurch City and the former Banks Peninsula District (the Christchurch District) that the Council owns, manages or administers on behalf of another organisation. The Plan does not apply to any other cemetery, crematorium, burial ground or urupā that is under the control of another person or organisation.

There are two documents proposed alongside the Plan. The Christchurch City Council Cemeteries Bylaw 2013 (the Bylaw) is proposed to replace earlier cemetery bylaws for Christchurch and Banks Peninsula. The Bylaw will allow the Council to set rules for the operation and management of cemeteries it owns or administers. The Christchurch City Council Cemeteries Handbook 2013 (the Handbook) provides the detail of those rules including the conditions to implement and manage the day-today functions and activities relating to burials, individual graves and cemeteries generally.

The Plan is one of a number of overlapping plans, strategies, policies, regulations, bylaws and other planning and regulatory documents that cover the cemeteries.

The Plan supports other operative planning, regulatory and legislative documents such as the Burial and Cremation Act 1964 and any amendments. The Plan also addresses Māori values, while highlighting key issues concerning public, natural and recreational open space values.

The Plan does include some principles for the management of cemeteries however the primary purpose of the Plan is to provide a strategic vision for the development and management of the Council owned or administered cemeteries across the Christchurch District. The Plan and the Handbook should be read together in order to obtain a full understanding of the proposed management and operation of these cemeteries.